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Aleš is a Slavic given name, most common in Czech and Slovenian traditions, that originated as a short form of Alexandr (the Slavic rendering of Greek Alexandros), meaning defender of men, from the Greek elements alexein, to defend, and aner, man. It functions as an independent given name rather than merely a diminutive, much as similar pet forms became standalone names across European languages. Notable bearers include the Czech painter Mikoláš Aleš, whose 19th-century work celebrated Bohemian folklore and national identity. Related forms include Aleš's Slovenian cognate Aleks and the broader family of Alexander-derived names such as Aleksej and Alojz.